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Camp Near Mt Graw Church
Dec 21st/1862
Dear Parents
Since writing you last from near Port Royal another great battle has been fought between our forces and the Yankees at Fredericksburg which resulted in a compleat victory for us and repulse of the enemy across the Rappahanock again and thanks be to God without the necessity of our Regiment firing a gun the only loss in the Regiment was one man killed and two wounded by the explosion of a shell in our ranks as we changed position, We left our camp near Port Royal on the afternoon of Friday and marched all that night until about four oclock next morning when we stacked arms and got about three hours sleep as soon as we had got some thing to eat the order was given to fall in again after marching about five miles we came to the battle field of yesterday the ball opened just about the time we got their we got a good portion back of a hill and remained their some three or four hours when the order came to occupy a on the right of our lines about a mile to the right of our present position and had not been some many minutes then when the order was give to return to our former position in crossing the field we took the three men named as soon as we got into our position we were order to occupy the third line of defense, in order to understand the position of both army I must give you a description of county Fredericksburg was situated about three miles to our left the river forming part it in a half wide the Yankees occupying the banks of the river and span in part almost a mile our lines being posted in the woods we had these lines of battle were the first in, the cut of the railroad running from Fredericksburg to Richmond the second in the edge of the woods and the third back in the woods we took our position on the third line the next morning by day light we releaved the second line they made an advance on us the only fighting being done on the right and left except an occasional shell bursting over our heads, next morning about 4 oclock we got two days rations and marched silently through the woods and took our position in the front lines in the rail road, there had been some hard fighting done here on Friday as the ground was strewn with dead and dying Yanks our lines were within three hundred yards of each other still the Yankees showed no disposition to advance any movement of the enemy could be distinctly seen from our position about one oclock thay sent in a flag of truce asking leave to removed their wounded which was not granted by Gen Lee as not coming from the proper authority thay sent in another in about an hour after from Gen Burnside which Gen Lee granted I went out in front of our lines as one of the ambulance corps to carry their wounded half way between our liens and their we carried all their wounded and a good many of their dead to them I got a good pair of boots from a dead Yankee for the trouble of pulling them off also a over coat and cape from a wounded one with sundry other little articles our boys and them mixed freely together exchanging tobacco for coffee and canteens the time having expended given them we had to withdraw from the field and take our positions again. I was detailed for picket duty that night the picket lines were out more than a hundred yards apart during the night it rained very heavy and morning at day light there was not a Yankee to be seen except their dead laid out in even rows on top of he hill thay had all crossed the river in the night we captured two or three hundred of them that had been left or had been out of the way and known any thing of them leaving I went to the banks of the river that morning but could see nothing of them except their deserted camps, we got orders to leave about two oclock the same day and we now camped before the Rappahanock near Fredericksburg wating for the next move of the Yankees I am still in good health the weather here is getting very cold either side must soon make a movement towards winter quarters, write soon, give my respects to all enquiring friends I remain your Affectionate Son
James Watt